William M. Washington, III - REDF

Our Vision
- Our VisionAn economy that works. for everyone.
- Who We BackWe partner with social entrepreneurs to amplify the success of their businesses and the people they employ.
- How We Do ItWe help our enterprises grow further, faster through a combination of capital, capacity building, and community support.
- ImpactOur partnership accelerates the growth and impact of the enterprises we back.
- InsightsWe evaluate what works and share our learnings to spark action for policy and systems change.
Our Work
- Our WorkWe invest in businesses that reveal and reinforce the talent of people breaking through barriers to employment.
- AcceleratorA six-month cohort-based learning experience for leaders of early-stage enterprises to springboard growth.
- Growth PortfolioA multi-year investment in growth-stage employment social enterprises to help them scale sustainably.
- Impact Investing FundFlexible loan capital for employment social entrepreneurs whose lived expertise is their collateral.
- Gov. Partnerships & PolicyAdvocacy and public sector partnerships to advance the field.
- CommunityCurated space and resources to help our social enterprise partners connect, grow, and lead.
- WorkshopREDFworkshop is an open, free virtual capacity building toolbox to help you build, grow, and sustain high-impact employment social enterprises.
Investments
About
- AboutWe envision a thriving and inclusive society where all people have the jobs and the support they need to realize their full potential.
- Mission & CultureIt’s not just what we do, it’s how we do it that matters.
- Our PeopleWe’re a motley crew of leaders and learners dedicated to building an economy that works. For everyone.
- CareersKnowing your work is improving lives is not the only benefit of the job. View opportunities to join our team.
- Farber FellowshipGrad students bring cutting-edge skills and passion to help employment social enterprises reach their full potential.
- SupportersOur generous funders and individual donors make this work possible.
- HistorySince 1997, REDF has been using business as a force for good.
- FinancialsREDF achieves the highest levels of accountability and transparency.
News

William M. Washington, III, is the global chief financial officer for Baker McKenzie, where he has been since 2022. As CFO, he stewards the firm’s financial operations, which totals more than $3 billion in revenue across 76 offices in 45 countries, and is responsible for over 1,400 employees. He also serves on the Executive Committee, Financial Committee and many other strategic committees related to the Firm’s operations.

William has also served as the CFO for the Americas division for Hogan Lovells, where he worked closely with firm leadership to formulate a vision for the future of the firm and provide an understanding of the firm’s financial picture to help drive profitability. Prior to that, William worked at two other AmLaw 100 law firms and has served in leadership positions in other diverse industries including consulting (Accenture) and financial services (Fannie Mae).

William holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Mississippi State University, an MBA from the University of Maryland University College, and a master’s in law firm management from George Washington University. He is also a Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence and has earned a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. He is married to Tracy Washington, whose past professional credits include the International Finance Corporation for the World Bank, and an adjunct professorship at Georgetown University. They have four wonderful children and reside in Bethesda, Maryland.